Car construction



Oct. 21, 1930. J. F. ocoNNoR CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jari. so, 19:50

C@ fm i 35 to the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Patented Oct. 21, 1930 UNITED .STAT-Es v-iPA"lild''a OFFICE Jorn: r. o?CoNNon, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Cnn.I CONSTRUCTION VA'lznplicatio'n med YJ'anuary 30, 1930. Serial No. 424,477.

This invention relates to improvements in car construction, and particularly to means lfor connecting the body and truck vbolsters thereof. The main object of the invention is to provide a combined locking center pin means for connecting the body and truck bolster-s of railway cars, which is adjustable in cross sectional size to fit the center pin receiving openings regardless of slightvariations in size thereof, thereby compensating for lack of uniformity in size of such openings of the bolsters due to unavoidable manufacturing conditions. l

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a center pin vfor connecting the body and truck bolsters of lrailway cars, which is adiustable in diameter to fit the same to the center pin openings of the bolsters, the pin being of sectional form to provide `the ad- 'ustability and the sections being forced apart y wedge acting means to expand the pin to fit the particular openings with which it cooperates.

clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing, forming a part of this specification, Figurel is a -top plan view o f a portion of the body bolster of a railway car, illust-rating my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view through the body andtruck bolsters of a car, correspondin substantially igure 3 is an enlarged, detailed perspective View of one of the sections of my improved center pin, the

view being partly broken so as to accommodate the same to the sheet of the drawing.`

And Figure 4 is an inner end view of a wedge member employed in connectlon wlth my 1mproved center pin.

In said drawings, 10 designates the body` bolster and 11 the truck bolster of a railway car. As shown, the body bolster 10 is provided with the usual depending bearing 4projection 12 which cooperates with a bearing seat 13 on the top of the truck bolster; In the present instance, the bearing seat 13 is .50 shown as formed in a projecting block-like Other objects of the invention will more portion 14, which isvintegral with the truck bolster structure. The-two bolstersare provided with alined center pin receiving openings of substantially the same diameter, the center `pin receiving rvopening of the body bolster 10 being designated by 15 and vthefcooperating opening of the truck bolster 11 being designatedby 16. The body bolster is provided with a head receiving pocket v17 at the outer endk of the opening thereof and the truck bolster is provided with a similar pocket 18 at the outer yend of itsv opening.

Aswill be evident, Vthe pockets 17 and 18, which are ofr larger diameter than the corresponding pin receiving openings, provide anular retaining shoulders 19-19 at the inner end of each pocket, surrounding the outer end of the correspondingcenter pin receivingopening. Each opening of each bolster is preferably of slightlysmaller diameter at the outer end thereof, "as'clearly shown in rFigure 2, the section of smaller diameter of the opening 15 being indicated by`20 and that Vof the opening 16 being indicated by 21.

i My improved center pin construction com- -prises broadly three sections A-A-Ag a pair of wedge blocks B-B and a connecting retaining boltC. l

The three sections A-A -'A of thepin are of similar design, each section having a shank portion 22 extending through the center pin receiving openings, and enlargements 23'23 at opposite ends thereof which are accommodated within the pockets 17 and 18 ofthe two bolsters respectively. The head' portions 23-23 of the three sections A-A-A together form the complete head members at opposite ends of the pin.. the portions '23 having curved outer facesto fit the side wall portions of the corresponding pockets. The y shank portion 22 of'each pin is of sector shape cross section, and has a curved outer surface substantiall fitting the correspond- Vingwall portions o the center pin receivin openings of the two holsters. vThe hea 96 members 23 at the opposite ends of the sections of the pin are of such a size that when the sections are in contracted condition, the

"head members 'will pass freely through the size of thel head members 23 is preferably such that the same will pass through the pin receiving openings of the holsters when sail sections are inserted successively?, the section previously inserted being displaced laterally so as to bring the shouldered portion thereof into engagement with the shoulders of the two bolsters, at the same time increasing the clearance between said section and the opposed wall portions of the pin receiving openings to accommodate the section being applied. Each section A is also provided with a wedge face 24 ateach end thereof. The wedge faces 24 of the sections A- A-A are at the inner sides of these sections and are arranged symmetrically about the central vertical axis of the pin, as clearly shown in Figures l, 2 and 3.

The two wedge blocks B-B are of similar design, each having three flat wedge faces 25-25 at the inner end thereof, the wedge faces being arranged symn'ietrically about the vertical axis of the wedge block and cooperating respectively with the three wedge faces 24-24 of the sections A-A-A. The cooperating wedge faces 24 and 25 of the sections of the pin and the wedge blocks B ar preferably disposed at relatively blunt angles so that when the sections A-A of the pin are expanded by forcing the wedge blocks B-B toward each other, only sutilcient wedging force will be exerted to fit the sections of the pin to the pin receiving openings of the holsters without any binding of the sections in said openings.

The two wedge blocks B-B are connected by the bolt C which extends through alined openings in said blocks and between the sections A-A-A of the pin, the latter being vertically grooved on the inner' side, as indicated at 26-26 to accommodate the shank of the bolt. The head of the bolt is prefer'- ably seated in a pocket provided at the top of the wedge block B associated with the body bolster, The nut 27 of the bolt, which has threaded engagement with the lower end thereof, bears on the wedge block B at the bottom end of the pin.

In applying my improved center pin to the body and truck holsters of a railway car, the three sections AMA-A thereof may be applied by inserting the saine either upwardly through the pocket of the truck bolster or downwardly through the pocket of the body bolster, the head sections 23 being passed through the pin receiving openings, The sections A are preferably assembled one at a time. After the rst section has been inserted through the pin receiving openings of the holsters and the head portions 23-28 thereof brought into alinement with the shoulders of the two holsters, said section is displaced laterally outwardly to engage the head portions thereof over the retaining shoulders of the body and truck holsters. Displacing of this section provides suliicient clearance for the insertion of the second section A and of the head portions 23 thereof through the pin receiving openings. After the second section A has been inserted, the saine is displaced laterally outwardly so as to the heads thereof with the shoulders of the holsters. The third section A of the pin is then inserted and applied in a siniilar manner. rl`he wedge block B at the upper end of the pin is then placed in position and the -bolt C inserted through said wedge block and passed downwardly between the three sections A-A- of the pin. The lower wedge bloclr B is then placed on the bolt in engagement with the lower ends of the three sections of the pin, and the nut 27 is applied to the bolt. The nut 27 is tightened to such extent that the wedge blocks B B will force the sections of the pin apart so as to lightly bear on the wall portions .20-2l ofthe pin receiving openings and bring the head portions 23-23 thereof into light bearing engagement with trie side walls of the pockets of the two holsters. Although the pin receiving openings are shown slightly enlarged at their inner ends, it will be evident that the saine may be made of the saine size throughout so as to have engagement throughout the length the shanlr of the center pin member. The enlarOeo /ortions of the openings are provided in order to reduce the area of contact between the walls of the openings and the sections of the center pin, thus assuring free turning ofthe center pin in the pin openings by eliminating friction.

ln separating the bolste's of the car., the center pin removed by lirst dis-enfagand removing the holt C and then with drawiing the sections A-A-A, one at a time, either through the pocket of the body or truck bolstery each section being displaced inwardly before removal to disennage the head portion thereof from the shoulders of the holst.

From 'the preceding description taken 1n connection with the drawings, it will be evident that l have provided an exceedingly simple and efficient adiustable center pin member for connecting the body and trucl: holsters of Vrailway cars, wherein the pin member expandable so as to properly lit the pin receiving openings of the holsters regardless of sl'lrht varia .ions in size of the same. Variations in the sizes of the openings of body and truck holsters of railway cars are unavoidable due to manufacturing conditions, ste l castings used in the manufacture of body and truck holsters being subject to variable shrinkage, thereby causing vari.- ations i.- -he sizes of the pin receiving openings. Further, variations in sizes of the pin receiving openings of the holsters are also duc to unavoidable inaccuracies caused by the cores cn'iployed in the foundry operations.

By providing the adjustable construction of center pin hereinhefore described, the pin at all times fully and completely fills the openings in the holsters, thereby preventing looseness of the parts. A further advantage of the expandable pin is that the head portions thereof are held in full shouldered engagement With the shoulders of the holsters.

I have herein shown and described What I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come Within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In car construction, the combination with body and truck holsters having alined center pin receiving openings approximating a pre-determined size; of an expandable sectional center pin member extending through said openings for connecting the bolsters, said pin being, when contracted, of smaller ysize than said openings; and adjustable means for spreading apart thel sections of the pin to conform.with the size of said openings and fit the same, the adjustment of said means for effecting spreading action thereof being limited by engagement of said sections of the pin with the Walls of said pin receiving openings.

2. In car construction, the combination.

With body and truck holsters having alined center pin receiving openings; of a sectional center pin extending'through said openings for connecting the holsters; and adjustable means for expanding the sectional pinto conform with the size of said openings and fit the same, the adjustment of said means -for effecting expansion of the pin being limited through contact of said sections with the Walls of said openings.

3. In car construction, the combination With body andtruck holsters having alined center pin receiving openings; of a center pin extending through said openings of the holsters, said pin including a plurality of sections; and means for Wed ing said sections apart to expand the pin to t said openings.

4. In car construction, the combination with body and truck holsters having alined center pin receiving openings; of a center' pin member extending through said openings, said pin member being composed of la plurality of sections; and Wedge means for forcing said sections apart to expand the pin to fit said openings, the spreading action of said Wedge means being limited by said pin being expanded to the size of said openings. y

V5. In car construction, the combination with body and truck holsters having alined i center pin receivingjopenings; of an expandable center pin member extending through said holsters, said member being expandable to an extent to be oversize for said openings,

-tion's apart and adapted, to vexpand the same lationsin size uof' said lopenings, due to manueach section v having i, shouldered engagement 4 at ,opposite ends with said holsters: respectively and Wedgev means for forclngsaid secto saidioversize, the spreading action of said meansbeinglimited by the sections filling saidjopenings,rwhereby said pin-.is fitted to the openings regardless ofrunavoidable varifacturing conditions.

` 6. In car construction, the .combination With body; and 'truckbolsters having .alined center pin receiving openings; of a center pin member including a plurality of sections, each of said sections being headed at opposite ends and said headed portions having shouldered engagement With said holsters respectively Wedge means cooperating with the opposite ends of said sect-ions to force the same. apart and adjust the pin to fit said openings; and means for forcing said Wedge members toward each other and holding the same ad- Y justed.

7. In car construction, the combination with body and truck holsters having alined center pin receiving openings; of a center pin member including a plurality of sections, each of said sections being headed at opposite ends and said headed portions having shouldered' engagement With said holsters respectively; wedge means cooperating With the' opposite ends of said sections toforce the same apart and adjust the pin to it said openings; and adjustable means connecting said Wedge means for drawing the same together to Wedge said sections apart.

8. In car construction, the combination With body and truck holsters having alined center pin receiving openings, each vbolster having a shoulder adjacent the outer end of its opening; of a sectional center pin member extending through said openings, said pin' comprising three sections, each section being headed at opposite ends,'said heads having engagement with the shoulders of said bolsters respectively; Wedge members at opposite ends of the pin having Wedging engagement with the sections thereof to expand the pinto fit said openings; and a b olt member connecting said Wedge members for drawing the sametogether and maintaining adjustment thereof. s Y

9. In car construction, the combination with body-and truck holsters having alined centerpin openings Which may be slightly off size, each bolster having a head receiving pocket at the outer end of its opening and a retaining shoulder at the inner end ofl eachV pocket; of a sectional center pin, each section ofthe pin being headed at opposite ends, said and adjusting said sections to expand the pin to said maximum size unless limited by said spreading action being arrested, thereby adjusting the shank portions thereof until limited by the ysize of said openings, thereby fitting the pin to said openings and engaging the heads thereof over said shoulders, and said means holding said sections in said adjusted position. lo InfWitneSs that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day of January, 1930.

, JOHN F. OCONNOR. 

